Combined waste and overflow mechanism



Feb. 3, 1942'. E. A. FREDRICKSON ETAL 2,271,837

I COMBINED WASTE AND OVERFLOW MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'jo yo f Patented Feb. 3, 1942 WASTE AND OVERFLOW MECHANISM COMBINED Edward A. Fredrickson, Chicago, and Roy H. Zinkil, Oak Park, 111., assignors to Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 6, 1941, Serial No. 373,214

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved waste valve and overflow combination for bathtubs, lavatories, etc., and is particularly concerned with a novel form of operating means by which the waste discharge valve may be readily opened and closed .by means of acomparatively simple and sturdy construction.

The embodiment of our invention set forth in the accompanying drawings and in the description which follows is especially suited for use withplumbing fixtures of the kind which are usually employed in connection with built-in bathtubs, for example, although itjwill be apparent that it may be employed advantageously with lavatories, sinks, washbasins, and the like. With built-in bathtubs, for instance, the overflow and waste pipes are usually positioned within the wall. at one end of the tub and thereafter concealed behind the wall of the tub or fixture proper, making inspection or repair relatively difficult. In realization of this problem, efforts in the past have been directed to constructing the waste valve operating mechanism so that it might fit inside the conventional L-shaped channel or conduit connecting the overflow and waste openings. The general practice has been to extend the waste valve operating mechanism through this L- shaped passage from the overflow outlet to the waste outlet. In order to make the mechanism fit operably into this relatively restricted channel and also be removable for repair, it has necessarily required a relatively complicated structure, expensive to manufacture.

Accordingly, an important object of our invention lies in the provision of an overflow and waste operating mechanism for assembly within the overflow. and waste pipes of the character described in which quick and simple adjustments may be made in the seating position of the waste valve or in making simple repairs to the valve seating surface or waste valve during the course of actual service. 1

Another object lies in the provision of a rigid or semi-rigid, generally L-shaped serpentine or undulated form of lift rod which fits snugly within the overflow pipe guide means or conduit and extends into the horizontal portion of the waste pipe where the plain end thereof may engage a complementary downwardly projecting portion of the waste plug for the purpose of providing an improved guided operating mechanism as herein after explained in greater detail.

Additional objects and advantages will become more readily apparent upon proceeding with the of Fig. 1.

following description in connection withthe accompanyi ng drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional assembly view of a preferred mechanism embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I P V Fig. 3 is a Vertical exterior view of a preferred form of combined waste valve support and adjustment means therefor.

Fig. 4 is aisectional view taken on the line 4-;

Fig. 5 is a vertical view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the detailed form of crank means for actuation of the valve from open to closed position and vice versa.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the various views.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 5 refers generally to the end'of a bathtub of the built-in type, or similar fixture, having the waste or drain opening 2 associated with thelaterally disposed waste pipe 3. At its upper portionof the end wall the tub I is provided with the usual overflow aperture 4 cooperating with the vertically extende ing overflow tube or stand pipe 5. The overflow tube 5 is connected at its upper end in the usual manner to the tub overflow opening t by means of an elbow-fitting 6 having a flange 1 positioning an annular gasket 8 pressed against the outer face of the tub wall.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, connected with the elbow-fitting 6 by means of the internally and externally hollow screws 9, the apertured annular plate Ill bears against the inner face of the tub wall. A cover plate II is positioned over the overflow opening 4 of the tub I by means of screws 12 which are threadedly connected to the aforementioned hollow screws 9. The cover plate II serves the two-fold purpose of first, concealing the overflow opening proper, and secondly, providing the actuating mechanism bearing l3. Rotatably mounted within the bearing I3 the stem 14 is positioned having an operating handle I5 attached, as indicated, at one end thereof.

Referring again to Fig. l, the overflow and waste pipes at their intersection are connected to the T-fitting It in the manner indicated, there after discharging into the outlet pipe I1, and thence into the usual trap and sewer (not shown) The waste pipe 3 is threaded into the waste elbow l8 which is held against the underside of the waste opening 2 by means of the seat bushing l9 which is screwed into the vertical opening of the waste elbow I8 from the inside of the tub, with a suitable gasket or packing 20 interposed said waste opening, adjusting means associated with the said valve member whereby the axial position of the said valve member with relation to the said waste opening may be varied within predetermined limits, rod means within said L- shaped conduit connected operably to said valve member and extending substantially to said overflow opening, the rod means being formed to con tact diametrically opposite points of the inside wall of the L-shaped conduit and thereby prevent lateral movement of the said rod means, the said adjusting means comprising interconnected threaded members, one of the said threaded members having operative connection with the said rod and with the said closure member, the second threaded member being threadedly connected to the first threaded member and interposed between the said closure member and the said first threaded member.

3. The combination of a waste and overflow mechanism, a receptacle having waste and overflow openings, a branched conduit associated with said overflow opening and said waste opening, a closure member cooperating with said Waste opening, means cooperating with the said closure member whereby the axial position of said valve with relation to the waste opening may be adjusted, a rod member within said branched conduit operatively connected to the said valve and extending substantially to the said overflow opening, the said adjusting means consisting of telescopically related members connecting the said closure member with the said rod member, actuating means cooperating with said overflow opening to lift or lower said rod member.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a receptacle having drain and overflow orifices, of a branched outfall con duit associated with said orifices, a valve in axial alignment with said drain orifice and cooperating therewith to regulate the outflow of fluid from the receptacle, adjusting means associated with said valve member whereby the axial position of said valve member may be limite dly varied, the said adjusting means comprising interconnected threaded members, rod means within said conduit removably connected to the said valve and extending in a vertically guided manner within the said conduit to the said overflow orifice, a portion of said rod means providing a guide at a plurality of locations at dififerent levels to inhibit substantial lateral movement within the conduit, adjustable means cooperating with said rod means.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a receptacle having drain and overflow orifices, of a substantially L-shaped con- I duit connecting the said orifices, a valve member having an internally threaded shank cooperating with said drain orifice to regulate the flow of fluid therethrough, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said valve member with relation to said drain orifice, said adjusting means comprising axially aligned means consisting of a guide link having a threaded adjusting means in the upper portion thereof and the said guide link threaded to the said valve shank, whereby said members are frictionally locked against rotational movement by effecting an abutting contact with the upper portion of the threaded adjusting means, curved rod means within the said L- shaped conduit operably connected to the said valve member, a portion of said rodmeans positioned within the vertical portion of the said L- shaped conduit being of serpentine form and in slidable contact with opposite sides of the walls thereof, whereby the said upper rod portion is v substantially limited to vertical movement, rotatably actuated lifting means for the said rod means journaled within the said overflow orifice with overthrow means to maintain said valve member in fully open position.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a, bathtub or the like having waste and overflow openings, of a substantially L- shaped branched conduit associated with the said openings, an adjustably mounted waste valve member regulating the flow of fluid through the said waste opening, adjustment means in axial alignment with the said valve member and cooperating to regulate the axial position thereof with relation to the said waste opening, said adjustment means comprising axially aligned interconnected members, curved rod means within the said L-shaped conduit, the said rod having a serpentine portion within the overflow pipe of said conduit contacting at a plurality of oppositely disposed portions of the inside walls of said overflow pipe whereby transverse motion of the rod is substantially restrained, the said rod means being operably connected to the said valve member for positive opening and closing, and extending backward to said overflow opening, a rotatable stem journaled within said overflow opening and having at the inside end thereof rod-like continuations positioned in such a manner that a pair of lines drawn respectively from the axis of one of the said continuations to the axis of the said stem would be substantially perpendicular to the other, one of said continuations being operably secured to the said rod means, the said stem having actuating means whereby the said continuation which is operably secured to the said rod means may be rotated past a dead-center position to maintain the waste valve in the open position.

7. In apparatus of the character described, the combination, with a fixture such as a bathtub or the like having respective drain and overflow orifices, of a substantially L-shaped conduit cooperating with the said openings, a valve for said drain opening, threaded adjustment means cooperating with the said valve for regulating the position thereof with respect to the said drain opening, L-formed lift rod means within the said L-shaped conduitwith the lower portionthereof in positive operative relationship with the said valve member and the upper portion thereof terminating adjacent the said overflow orifice, the portion of said lift rod within the overflow pipe of said L-shaped conduit having a serpentine shape and in slidable contact at a plurality of points with the inside wall of said overflow pipe, whereby the lift rod is movable vertically but not horizontally, an operating stem mounted rotatably within said overflow orifice, said stem having at the inside end thereof oiT-center, unidirectional continuations functioning respectively as a crank pin and a stop pin, the said crank pin being removably indexed within the upper extremity of the said rod, the said stem having at its outside extremity an operating handle, whereby the said crank pin may be rotated past the dead-center position on the stem whereby upon predetermined rotation the drain valve may be lifted by the said lift rod into a stable open position.

EDWARD A. FREDRICKSON. ROY H. ZINKIL. 

